Modern sound systems are often designed with speakers mounted flush with a wall, ceiling or other surface. To achieve this, the speaker assembly must be recessed within the wall, ceiling or panel, thereby providing a preferred aesthetic appearance. The early ceiling speakers had a fixed orientation such that the woofer and tweeter pointed substantially straight downwardly or outwardly. More recent, speakers have been designed with the pivotal and swivel components for directional adjustment of the woofer and/or tweeter. The orientation of such adjustable speakers generally is maintained by pressure between the components, which often are made of plastic. However, recessed speakers do not provide the full range of motion to direct sound from the speaker to a specific area. The various types of pressure couplings differ in the effort or force required to adjust the speaker to the desired position. These pressure fit components do not allow for adjustment of the tension during manufacturing or in the field during installation. Some prior art adjustable speakers also use a pivot mechanism similar to a ball joint or fulcrum. Some prior art pivot mechanisms include a lock for setting a speaker in a preferred position. However, these locks have a tendency to become loose over time due to vibration from the speaker and/or from changes in temperature or humidity. For example, ceiling speakers often are installed with the upper or rear portion exposed to the attic, which may have extreme temperature and humidity swings which create further problems, since the plastic components are hydroscopic. Some speaker applications have additional vibrations, such as automobiles, trucks, boats, and aircraft, due to the movement of the vehicle along the road, through the water, or in the air. Such exterior vibrations also eventually lead to loosening of the prior art pivot mechanisms for the speakers, which then move from the desired directional setting. Also, as the locking member is loosened, the speaker may move out of position, or an undesirable buzzing or rattling sound may occur, distorting the sound quality. Another problem with prior art adjustable speakers is limited rotation due to internal connecting wires.
Accordingly, a primary objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved speaker assembly having directional adjustability which can be quickly and easily set and maintained.
A further objective of the present invention is the provision of a speaker tweeter assembly which may be finely adjusted during the assembly and/or installation process.
A further objective of this invention is the provision of directionally adjustable tweeter assembly, which is maintained in position by friction.
Still another objective of the present invention is the provision of a pivotal tweeter speaker which is economical to manufacture.
Yet another objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved pivotal tweeter assembly which maintains a selective directional orientation throughout use.
A further objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved pivotal tweeter which provides optimum sound quality without deterioration or distortion over time.
These and other objectives will become apparent from the following description of the invention.